Transgender Hannah banned from AFLW

THE AFL has barred transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey from playing in next year's AFLW season.

Mouncey, a 190cm ruckman from Ainslie in the Canberra league, had been told she was likely to be picked up in Wednesday's AFL draft.

The Herald Sun understands Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne had strong interest in considering her with early selections.

But just 20 hours before the AFLW draft the AFL ruled her physical disparity was a significant advantage for the former national handballer.

It is believed Mouncey is unlikely to appeal despite sports lawyer Justin Quill saying Tuesday she would have an excellent case.

The timing of the decision means she not only has no time for that appeal, there is no process for her to do so under the AFL's rules.

New AFL football boss Steve Hocking had said earlier Tuesday the league was slowly working through her issues.

She is well under the testosterone levels that allow her to play international sport under IOC regulations.

But those regulations are only guidelines and each individual sport is allowed to set its own rules.

"The AFL are taking their time with it, based on the fact there is a range of testing and so forth that Hannah has been put through and been asked to complete, so they can make a thorough decision on it," Hocking said.

"Probably the biggest person in all of this is Hannah herself, so from her point of view, we've got to be mindful of all of that.

"We understand it's (draft) day tomorrow, as far as the women's goes, and we need to have clarity for Hannah and also all the clubs involved in that and all the players as well, so that will be announced later today.

"But the right people are working on that and are working very closely with Hannah on that as well.

"She's been part of all the discussions and decision-making around it, so I'm quite comfortable with where that currently sits and how that's been worked through."

Quill said earlier Tuesday Mouncey would have an excellent case to argue she was discriminated by the AFL.